The Start Of The Hunt
by Tee-Cup
Summary: Rachel wants answers, and she needs some help. Follows on from Kidnapped. I own nothing Except Rachel and Katie and Rachael, All Reveiws wanted : xx
1. Chapter 1: The Key Part 1

**Chapter 1.**

"Ok I am wearing the friggin' tiara and I am not going to wear that hideous dress!" Rachel sat with her arms folded on the large bed, her short blonde hair in rat's tails since she'd just had a bubble bath with scented oils for the third time in two days. Caleb gave her a stern look and she was certain she would get into trouble for this.

She was too busy to worry though. She was trying to work out why this was the third time in three months that she'd been kidnapped. And this time it was by someone she'd trusted.

What Rachel was most worried about was that Mr Hotchner was going to think she was weak and would start leaving her out of the really interesting cases. She was beginning to feel a little bit like a damsel in distress and Caleb seemed to agree with this theory.

He had managed to convince himself that she was a princess and he was her prince charming. Sure he was handsome but he wasn't Rachel's type.

"Listen dude, why am I being kidnapped so much?" she asked him sitting up straight, "You must know..."

He smiled his heart-warming smile. Now she remembered why she'd fallen for him.

"Because you have the key."

"The key? The key to what? The state, because listen man if i had any kinda key that wasn't to my flat then I would have handed it in by now I can tell you that for nothing! What else do you know about this key?"

"That it's the answer to everything."

"Is that it?"

He nodded.

"Ok, I'm done."

"What?" he looked puzzled.

Suddenly the door was broken in and Hotch, Morgan and Reid ran in along with a detective.

The detective arrested Caleb whilst the others untied Rachel's feet.

Five minutes later they were all walking back to the SUV's. Rachel was still walking with a slight limp after the events that had happened three months ago.

"So what did you find out?" Mr Hotchner asked her.

"You had microphones all over the place, you know everything I do." She told him with a shrug.

"Yeah I suppose your right. But what the hell is this key he was talking about?" Morgan asked her.

"Like I said," she began jumping into the SUV "You know as much as I do!"


	2. Chapter 2: Hotch's Meeting

**Chapter Two.**

"Rachel can I see you in my office for a second please?" Mr Hotchner called down to the bull pen where the team were discussing whether Spencer should dye his hair purple.

"Oohhhhh!" the rest of the team chorused as Rachel rose from her seat.

"Rachel's in trouble!" Spencer sang,

"Shut it weedy!" Rachel punched him on the arm as she left and his laughing face fell into a frown of pain as he rubbed where she'd hit him.

"Aww you guys are too harsh on her." Prentiss smiled continuing to doodle aimlessly on her pad.

"Nah she knows we're joking." Rossi shrugged.

"And she hits Reid for the fun of it, don't we all?" Morgan grinned and everyone agreed with him laughing.

Rachel continued to listen to the conversation behind her and was smiling as she entered Mr Hotchner's office.

"Am I in trouble?" she asked nervously although the smile was still present on her lips.

"No," he replied. She waited for him to continue but he just sat there, looking at her, like he was waiting for her to say something.

"So why am I here?" she eventually asked.

"I know you wanna figure out what's happening and I think I know someone who can help you," he began to jot down an address and time on a piece of paper, "go to this address at eight pm tonight. Do whatever she wants you to do and she'll help you."

He handed her the paper and sure enough there was an address not far from where she lived on it.

"If you aren't in tomorrow then I'll understand." He told her.

Her eyes widened at this comment.

"Don't worry," he smiled faintly, "she'll take good care of you."

"Ok, thanks. Is that all?" she asked apprehensively.

"Yes you may go."

"Thanks," she muttered and walked out and back to her laughing co-workers. They were now discussing something about Morgan's nose. She joined back in, clutching the mysterious piece of paper.


	3. Chapter 3: Who Rachel Met

**Chapter Three.**

"See you tomorrow guys." Rachel walked out briskly, she hadn't been her full proper self since she was summoned to Hotch's office and as everyone called their goodbye's they exchanged glances with each other, all worried.

"Do you think she's alright?" Prentiss asked Reid.

"Yeah, she's fine. She would have told me if something was wrong." He didn't even look up from what he was writing.

"Ok," Emily still looked a little wary but carried on finishing what she had to.

Rachel cautiously edged open the door. She trusted Hotch's judgement but she still didn't know who this person she was supposed to be meeting was, and this made her nervous.

She flat was run down, abandoned and dodgy. The door literally swung off it's hinges as she gently opened it, it was dark and filthy, the furniture and floors were covered in grime.

She felt uneasy and she reached for her gun, a voice came out of the gloom.

"Don't bother Rach." A familiar voice. Rachel looked around searching for the person that belonged to the voice.

"Who are you?" she whispered.

"Someone you know very well. We used to be very good friends." The voice came again. Rachel's eyes scanned the room and she turned on the spot in the middle. Still searching.

"Well then show me." Rachel was getting confused.

Out of the shadows just to her right, came Elle.

"Elle!" Rachel exclaimed, her eyes widened in surprise. Elle smiled at her and held out her arms.

Rachel walked into them and they hugged.

As they separated Rachel spoke again.

"I haven't seen you in ages, where have you been?" she smiled.

"Doing this and that. Hotch got in touch with me, said you needed some help."

"Uh, yeah. I wanna find a key to something. No clue what to or what this key even is. But I've been kidnapped three times now because some evil dude's want it, and apparently I have it." Elle looked slightly surprised.

"Well Rachel, you've never really been in the thick of the action without Reid have you?"

"Not really." Rachel laughed.

"Well if we're gonna find this key we'd better get moving. Did you drive or walk?"

"Uh, I brought my bike." Rachel peered out of the murky window to check it was still there. Elle flinched,

"Which one?" she closed her eyes expecting the worst.

"Uh, the non-pedal one." Rachel smiled innocently.

"That'll be fun trying to fit into the van," Elle said raising her eyebrows.

Rachel smiled innocently again.

"Ah well I have a feeling everything we do from now on is gonna be ... fun."


	4. Chapter 4: Briefing

**Chapter four.**

"Hey Hotch, if you see Rachel we're meeting in five minutes please? Also yeah, we're meeting in five minutes." Garcia smiled at Hotch already making her way. Hotch nodded and went back to his office to get his pen. Walking past the desk's he noticed that Rachel wasn't there. He didn't expect her to be but how was he going to explain this to his team?

Five minutes later they were all sat around the circular table.

"Hey where's Rachel? Don't tell me she's already been kidnapped again!" Prentiss directed the question at everyone. No one answered they all just looked disappointed.

"Don't worry Rachel's doing a job for me, I'm not sure when she'll be back but she's in good hands, don't worry Reid she isn't going to get hurt." Hotch explained walking in and taking his seat.

"Uh ok, will she be joining us?" Garcia asked,

"No, she might not be here for a few days, like i said I'm not sure when she'll be back."

Garcia nodded and began the briefing.

"Ok, the town of port ridge in Florida needs us. They have a serial robber and murderer. His most recent victims were the Samuels family, the un-sub stole jewellery, expensive make-up and petty cash but nothing serious. The parents were tied up and had a gun-shot wound to the head, execution style. One of the children, Alex Samuels, was also shot in the head, but in the back of the head not the front and the other teenage girl Sarah Samuels hasn't been found yet."

"So she could still be alive?" Morgan asked.

"Possibly." Garcia's reply.

"This guy only stole petty cash and accessories that women use. He might be trying to steal them for a loved one." Rossi added.

"Or he might be pressured into stealing them for this loved one." Prentiss added.

"Or he might be a she." Reid said unexpectedly, everyone turned to face him. He began to explain, "well this is slightly biased in a way. We're saying it has to be a male. It could very well be a female and she's stealing the accessories for herself. Also this would explain why Sarah's missing. The un-sub might be 'taking care' of her."

"That would make sense." Hotch answered.

"Ok well this is an interesting one, let's take it Hotch." Rossi leant back in his chair.

Hotch nodded and they all got up and agreed to meet on the plane.


	5. Chapter 5: Road Trip

**Chapter Five**

"So do even know where we need to start?" Elle asked Rachel as they drove down the highway. They weren't really going anywhere, just driving for now.

"Well Marks mentioned Vegas a lot, said he was planning on taking me there. So we could start there, plus I have an old friend who can help us." She smiled. Elle raised her eyebrow at her friend.

"Friend?" she questioned, forcing herself not to smile.

"Yes, just a friend." she observed her friends face for a moment before hastily adding, "He's married with a little girl."

"Ok then." Elle allowed the smile to play on her lips now and her full attention returned to the road. "So whereabouts in Vegas do we have to go?"

"Lets start by making a more personal visit." Rachel smiled beginning to type an address into the sat-nav.


	6. Chapter 6: Greg and Katie's

**Chapter Six**

"Two shots." Greg shouted and the loud bangs filled the room. The bullets travelled down through the water and into the ballistics jelly bellow. He fished them out and compared them under the micro-scope.

"Match?" Katie Sanders walked in behind him and asked.

He nodded.

"Ok then so that confirms that Alex Carmichael shot Mr Woodbridge, well that and the GSR on his clothing and his fingerprints on the gun. Done."

"Yep. Let's go give it in." Greg smiled at her.

A couple of hours later they were driving home, they noticed a large black van parked outside their house. It wasn't Alannah's.

"You know anyone with a van?" Greg asked her, she shook her head and tried to peer into the windscreen as they turned into their driveway, but she couldn't see anyone behind the glass. They got out and Katie went to open the door whilst Greg went to meet the two women now emerging from the van.

"Wow, is that..." Greg began but was interrupted by the small girl now striding towards him. She was about 5'5 and had short bleach blonde hair.

"Yes, it is the Rachel Reid! How could you forget me?" she grinned and hugged him.

He hugged her back quickly before pulling away, Rachel stepped back and pulled her friend forward.

"This is Elle, she used to work with me. We've been friends ever since."

"Hey Elle, nice to meet you." Greg shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you too," she smiled.

"So what brings you here?" Greg asked them.

"Well, actually we need all the help we can get and we were wondering, if you could be part of that help?" Rachel asked looking down at the floor then back up at Greg.

"Sure, what do you need help with?"

"We need to find a key."

"What key?"

"We don't know."

There was a long pause.

"Right," Greg said, elongating the word.

"Look I know it sounds mad, but really I'm pretty sure we can work it out. With my intelligence and your intelligence and Elle's intelligence..."

"And Katie's she'll help. We barely do anything apart so..."

"Sure, that'd be great..."

"And maybe my team, they like challenges after all..."

"Sounds perfect..."

"Would you like to come in...?"

"Love to." The women said in unison.

They made their way to door, now Greg had to introduce his old friend to Katie.


	7. Chapter 7: Introductions

**Chapter Seven**

Katie went to go inside whilst Greg found out about the mysterious visitors. She walked in and threw her bag onto the stairs, ready to be taken up next time she went upstairs.

She then went into the dining room where Alannah sat with Rachael doing her homework.

"Hello sweetheart." Katie kissed her daughter on the head and took a seat beside Alannah.

"Hey Katie. How was your day?" Alannah asked her as she got up to go and get a drink.

"It was, interesting. As always. We finally got enough evidence to close the Mr Harrison case, so that was good." Katie went to follow her sister into the kitchen. "Alannah, did you invite anyone over? Anyone who might drive a black van?"

"No,"

"Strange. I wonder who's outside."

"Someone's outside?"

"Yeah," she paused, "someone was just sat, parked out the front."

"Well then. Let's go see who it is!" Alannah abandoned her drink and walked into the front room. She peered through the blinds and spoke aloud.

"Greg's talking to two women. He just hugged one of them; it looks like he knows her. He doesn't know the other one, he's shaking her hand. They're talking, the one he knows looks embarrassed. And now they're coming in." Alannah jumped back from the blinds and her and Katie walked out into the hallway.

Greg and the two women entered and Greg approached Katie whilst the women stayed on the doorstep.

"Katie," Greg began, "This is Elle," he gestured towards the older of the two, she had short brown hair and a kind face. "And Rachel," he gestured towards the younger of the two. She looked about the same age as Katie, she had short beach blonde hair and a very pretty face with soft brown eyes. She looked small, skinny and athletic. "Rachel's an old friend of mine. Is it ok if they stay for a bit in the guest bedroom? They need our help, we can talk later though." He glanced across at Alannah who looked defensive.

Katie smiled warmly and shook their hands, "Of course they can. We're always happy to help."

Rachael emerged from the dining room to find all these adults stood around. "What's going on? Who are those ladies?" she asked nervously.

"It's ok sweetie they're friends of daddy's. Have you done with your homework?" Alannah walked over to Rachael and began to guide her upstairs. Their conversation faded out behind them and the other four were left standing in an awkward silence.

"So... Who's hungry?" Katie asked with a clap of her hands. Rachel and Elle just realised how hungry they really were. They both nodded and Greg nodded too. "I'll start dinner then." Katie smiled before disappearing to the kitchen.

"Let's go into the living room." Greg allowed them to pass him through the arch to the living room. They sat silently on the sofa awkwardly waiting.

"I'll go see if Katie needs any help." Greg stood and made his way into the kitchen.


	8. Chapter 8: On The Plane

**Chapter Eight**

"What kind of guy is this?" Morgan began.

"If it is a guy." Reid muttered under his breath.

"You know Reid; you're starting to sound like Rachel. She was always for the fact that it could be a woman, she thought is was demeaning that we were always hunting men." Prentiss smiled at him.

"That's offensive. On more than one level." Reid answered.

"Can we stay on topic please?" Hotch intervened.

"Why does he only steal petty things, like make-up and Jewellery?" Rossi asked the group.

"Most serial killers are being pressured into killing to get gifts for loved ones, like mothers, wives, even daughters. The loved one may or may not know that he's killing to get these gifts but she'll be delighted by them." Reid said smugly.

"If he's stealing and killing for a loved on then he's gotta be fairly young. He's being influenced to steal these things because he wants to impress. Like if it's his mother he wants to please her and thank her for bringing him into the world." Morgan added.

"But he could have been brought up and conditioned to buy gifts for a mother, or even a wife or lover that he knew when they were young. This is more likely." Hotch told him.

Morgan nodded, "so he's likely to be in his late twenty's to early thirty's."

"This serial killer is moderately easy to profile." Rossi said.

"To a certain extent. The thing is, how do we catch him?" Prentiss asked the team, they were silent and could not meet one another's eyes.


	9. Chapter 9: Morning Sickness

**Chapter Nine.**

Thank you to Don'tCallMeSweetheart for the *ahem* awkward part. Thedarksidealwayshascookies 'hipster' I had to I'm sorry :D xx

A slim line of early morning light filtered through the gap in the curtains before it fell onto the bed where two bodied lay. Greg held Katie against himself, she was asleep but he lay awake, smelling and stroking her long, silky, dark blonde hair. He loved these rare moments, when he just felt so at peace with himself, and with the world. Where it felt as if him and Katie were the only two in existence. He felt so calm and peaceful; he wanted this moment to last forever.

Katie stirred slightly in her sleep, sort of mumbled something and turned over to face him. Greg moved back a little to make room for her. He lay his head back down onto the pillow and stared at her face. Her elegant eyelids slowly flickered open and her long, dark eyelashes fluttered against her cheeks. They were like tiny spiders legs except beautiful, dainty, elegant. She looked into his eyes and smiled at him. Her smile was comforting and it warmed Greg's heart.

"Morning Mr Sanders." She said lightly, stretching a little as if trying to exert any sleep that was still jammed in her joints.

"Morning Mrs Sanders." He smiled back.

He touched her nose and she smiled, letting out the tiniest of giggles. She shuffled towards him, their faces were inches away from each other and Katie moved in to touch her nose to his. He closed the distance and their lips touched. Greg loved this too. He took her waist and felt her hands on his chest, her hands travelled up and gripped his hair. He put his own hands on her back and pulled her closer.

The kiss deepened and Greg's tongue found it's way into her mouth. Suddenly Katie pulled away.

"I think I'm going to..." she said surprised, she stumbled out of bed and sprinted to the bathroom slamming the door behind her.

"If you didn't wanna do anything you could've just said..., are you okay?" Greg got out of bed and began to cross over to the door, concern crossing his face "Katie?" He stood by the door and could hear retching noises from within.

In between gasps of breath Katie managed to shout out to him "I'm ok, really I am!" then he heard her gasping and obviously being sick.

After about five minutes she emerged from the bathroom clean but looking a little peaky.

"Are you ok?" he had sat down on the bed and he now rose and strode over to her, holding her upper arms.

"Yeah, I'm fine. It must have been some bad food I ate last night."

"But we all ate last night and the rest of us are fine..."

"Well then, I don't know. But I feel fine now, really."

"Do you wanna take the day off work?"

"No Greg, I am fine." She held his upper arms as well.

"Now, lets get dressed and get on with our day."

"Ok," Greg pulled Katie into a hug, they stood there for a few moments before Katie pulled away. Greg smiled down at her and kissed her forehead.

Katie had a shower and Greg got dressed and went downstairs to make coffee. Rachel and Elle appeared a few minutes after Greg had put the coffee on to brew.

"Coffee?" he asked them not turning but just knowing it was them.

They both agreed thankfully whilst stretching and yawning. None of them were really awake yet.

As he gave them their coffee Katie appeared, she looked fine not even peaky anymore.

"Hey," greg handed her, her coffee and she smiled her thanks. Her teeth were unnatuarely white and he could smell her toothpaste from where he was stood.

"Woah, how many times did you brush?" he asked her taking a step back.

"Three, and I still can't get that feeling out of my mouth. It's nasty."

Greg smiled and then Alannah appeared in the doorway.

"Good morning all!" she exclaimed stretching, even through her one headphone they could hear the music pumping out.

"Morning Hipster." Katie said into her cup of coffee.

"Hipster?"

"Doesn't matter." Katie and Greg said in unison turning away from her.

Alannah frowned in a pouty fashion, "I am not."


	10. Chapter 10: The First To Know

**Chapter Ten.**

**I really just wanna thank Ellie Powles for her support and helping me to understand how to write this chapter and basically this whole story. And the next one xxx**

**And I wanna thank Alannah Wright for simply being Alannah xx**

"So if you had another girl then what would you call her?" Alannah was following Greg around, constantly interrogating him.

"I don't know, Amie?"

"Amie? Not Alannah? I'm disappointed and offended."

"And why should you be offended?"

"Because you're not naming your next child after me,"

"Wait my next child? Who said I'm having a next child?"

"No one, nothing forget I ever spoke to you." Alannah said hurriedly before rushing out of the room. As she left Katie walked in,

"Hey," she smiled. She looked fine again now.

Greg was worried, Katie had been sick this morning and now she was fine, what if she had some rare disease? Then he told himself to shut up, he was a scientist and he knew fully well that, that was not true. Katie couldn't have any rare disease like that.

"Katie, can I talk to you. I'm worried, if there's something wrong, you'll tell me...right?" he looked at the counter briefly before glancing up into her eyes, his eyes became transfixed by hers.

"Greg," she said softly, her face was full of sadness, she looked at him. "You know you'll always be the first to know." She walked over to him slowly and placed a hand on his arm, he looked down at the counter again, "Greg, I love you. And you have to trust me."

He nodded and added in a whisper, "I do. And I love you too."

Katie stood on her tiptoes to kiss her husband on the cheek and hold him. He did likewise.

"Now then," Katie said into his ear, "lets go to work."

They said their goodbyes to Rachael and Alannah and the four of them climbed into the car and set off for the lab.


	11. Chapter 11: 2 Cases Work Together As 1

**Chapter Eleven.**

**Ellie just wanted to speed it up :D xx**

As Rachel entered the doors of the lab she suddenly felt a surge of uneasiness. She'd been in labs before but never without the rest of the team, and here she was, her visitors badge hanging from her neck.

Some people ignored the four of them, others gave them glances and a couple of people stared at the as they followed Greg and Katie, Rachel racked her brains trying to remember if she'd met any of the Las Vegas CSI team before. She didn't recognize anyone.

"Don't look so scared." Elle hissed beside her, "You're an FBI agent, people will worry."

Rachel glanced at her and nodded, "Sorry," she whispered with a faint smile. Elle smiled back and the pair carried on thinking what they had thought before, nerves and caution overtook fear now. Rachel's head was pounding with worry, what was she going to find here?

A woman with blonde hair approached Greg and Katie, Greg explained the situation to her in hushed tones, and another man came out of the lab next to them and called in Katie. She nodded and followed him.

The blonde woman continued to talk to Greg and a few minutes later Katie hurried out and interrupted them.

"I'm sorry to interrupt and all but Greg you need to see this. Now!"

He followed her into the lab and the blonde haired lady approached Rachel and Elle.

"Hello," she smiled, she was nice and the other two returned her smile. "My name is Catherine Willows, but please just call me Catherine; Greg told me that you two need some help. Something about a key?"

"Yeah, I'm Rachel Reid I'm from the FBI, the Behavioural Analysis Unit. And this is a friend and old colleague of mine Elle Greenaway. We need your help, lately there have been multiple kidnappings all by different guys, they've all been caught. But the person who's been kidnapped these multiple times has been told that they hold a key. We wanna know what this key is, what it leads too, and why it's so important? Do you think you can help us?"

"Have you got any leads whatsoever?" Catherine asked them.

They paused,

"Well..."

"Yes, come see what Hodges found in our latest homicide Vic's stomach." Greg stuck his head out of the lab before disappearing back inside again.

Catherine went in followed by Elle who was followed by Rachel.

Elle wrinkled her nose against the smell.

The man who Greg had identified as Hodges stood next to Greg and Katie who were examining a piece of paper laid out in a tray of liquid.

"Look at it," Hodges nodded towards it. Rachel and Elle edged towards it and peered at the elegant lettering etched neatly onto the crumpled piece of paper.

Elle gasped, "What does this mean?" she asked, unable to avert her eyes from this find. Catherine spoke from just behind them.

"It means that our two cases are most definitely one."

Every eye was on Rachel as she continued to stare down at the paper.

_A gift for Rachel Reid..._


	12. Chapter 12: Discovery

**Chapter 12 **

"You are acting so strange." Emily was walking beside Reid on their way into the police station.

"What? No I'm not. I'm acting completely normal."

"Aw," Emily smiled at him, "You miss Rach don't you?" he didn't reply just carried on walking. "Don't worry, we all do..."

They approached the sheriff and Hotch stepped forward to introduce himself.

"Agent Hotchner?" the sheriff asked and Hotch nodded.

"This is agent Morgan, Agent Rossi, Agent Prentiss," Hotch stopped and stared at Prentiss's dark hair as she leant forward to shake his hand. Morgan and Reid shared knowing looks and both hid their smiles.

"And this is Doctor Reid and…" Hotch trailed off remember that the youngest member of the team wasn't currently with them. No one noticed Spencer bite his lip.

"It's good to have you here, well not good but..." he paused and they stood in a awkward silence for a moment, "helpful."

"We understand," Hotch told him, the mood in the office changed as a teenage girl ran in. She was wearing a tank top and shorts; she had long brown hair and looked very scared. Her hair was a tangled mess and her clothes were stained with blood splatter. She seemed unharmed with the exception of scratches on her feet and lower legs.

"Help, help me please!" she shouted tears sped down her cheeks and Prentiss immediately hurried over to help.

"What's your name?" Prentiss asked her taking her shoulders and guiding her to a chair.

"Sarah, Sarah Samuels."

Reid confirmed it, "The missing girl."


	13. Chapter 13: Rachael's Thoughts

**Chapter 13**

Katie was thinking, she sat in the break room but her eyes were staring into space, her brilliant mind whirring with thought.

"Mommy!" her eyes came into focus and her trance was disrupted, her daughter was running up the hallway towards her.

"I made these cookies at school!" she pulled open the lid of a tin to reveal the stash of golden cookies, Katie suddenly realised her hunger and grabbed a handful of cookies.

"Thanks," she smiled beginning to nibble on the cookies.

"Mom! I never offered you one, let alone four!" Rachael seemed genuinely upset.

"I'm hungry, I threw up this morning remember? I have that horrible empty feeling inside." She continued to eat the cookies as Rachael snapped the lid back onto the tin. She had a worrying, inquisitive look on her face.

"You know, I would really like a little brother or sister." She sat on the chair diagonally across from her mother.

"Would you now?"

"And I know where babies come from…"

"Have you been having inappropriate conversation with your father again. I told him to stop that after the one about the evil teddy bear that came to life, you didn't sleep properly for weeks…"

"But the thing is that if you did have another baby…"

"I'm not sure I like where this is going…"

"Then we might have to move.."

"We're not moving anywhere…"

"Somewhere really nice and warm and sunny and…"

"Rachael what on earth are you on about?"

Rachael's voice dropped to a whisper,

"Are you having a baby?"

Katie paused, she was forced now to think about the subject that she had been avoiding since her last bout of morning sickness. She decided to take a pregnancy test when they got home.

"Mommy when did you lose your virginity?"

"Rachael that is a highly inappropriate subject to bring up"

"Aunty Lana told me that daddy didn't lose his until he was twenty-two."

"Did she now? I knew I shouldn't have told her. But now the world will know, good god."

"Hey what are we talking about?" Greg entered the break room after he had finished his work and was ready to go home.

"Well daddy…" Rachael began but was cut off as Katie put her hand over her mouth.

"And don't even think about licking it young lady. Let's go. I need to have words with your father and your Aunty."

Greg looked surprised as Katie marched the pair out of the break room.


	14. Chapter 14: Pregnant

**Chapter 14 **

**Ellie Powles Thank you for helping me to put funny stuff in this scene at lunchtimes :D, Love you Honeyyy xxx**

At home that evening Katie appeared at the bottom of the stairs looking pale, nervous, excited and a little frightened.

"I need to talk to you." She said in a quiet voice.

Rachael stood, "Are you going to tell me when you lost your virginity now mommy? Maybe I can help you find it!"

Rachel, Elle, Greg and Alannah smiled.

"No Rachael, just no. Greg, upstairs, now."

"I think he may be in trouble." Elle smiled to the rest of them as Greg rose and followed Katie upstairs.

They went into their bedroom and Katie went into the en-suite bathroom, Greg, however, stayed in the bedroom. After about a minute he went through the half open door.

She was stood with her back to him facing the mirror. In her reflection he could see her looking down at something she was holding. She expression was blank.

"Katie, what's wrong? Are you in trouble?" he asked walking slowly towards her. She didn't look up; her only response was her face looked slightly confused.

He walked over to her and put his arm around her waist, he peered over her shoulder, and he looked at the pregnancy test.

They stood together staring at it, in silence, wondering if it would change, but of course it didn't. After a few minutes Greg tried to break the silence,

"So, we're kicking Rachael out and starting afresh?"

Katie fought back her giggles.

"Greg this is serious." She said struggling to keep a straight face.

"Ok sorry, although she really likes Alannah's, she would be very welcome there."

"Greg!" a smiled threatened Katie's lips.

"Ok, well we did alright with Rach, we should be fine." He smiled at her reflection in the mirror.

She turned to face him and smiled, the smiled broadened to a grin, a grin which he returned.

"You're insane."

"That's why you love me."

"When did I say that?"

The both laughed and Greg put his hand on the back of her neck and kissed her softly, she was returning his kiss. Rachael and the other's appeared in the doorway.

"What's going on?" Elle asked and the couple parted.

"Oh um..." Katie tried to pick up the pregnancy test from behind her without the others seeing it but she accidentally knocked it and it fell to the floor. Katie winced as Rachael darted forward and snatched it up.

She tried to read the tiny digital writing on the side, "Preg...Pre...Pregnan...Pregnon? Mommy what does this say?" she held it up to her mother.

Rachel and Elle were staring open mouthed.

"Oh My God!" the both said and rushed forward to hug their friends.

"This is great! I mean wow, I am so happy for you guys!" Elle said to them, gesturing with her arms.

The couple said thank you before Rachael shouted over the noise.

"What's going on?" they all turned to look at her.

"You're gonna have a little brother or sister!" Greg explained walking over to his daughter and putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Like the way that you said, when a mommy and a daddy love each other very much or their very drunk that way?"

Katie stepped forward.

"Ah yes, about that."


	15. Chapter 15: Protection

**Chapter 15**

"That case was impossibly easy." Prentiss smiled checking her cards.

"Well it didn't help that she turned herself in after Sarah found us." Hotch replied, risking a glance at Emily. On the outside he seemed completely calm, but on the inside he was nervous, would Rachel be there when they got back? He only now realised how much danger he'd put her in and it had been three days without hearing from her.

"But she didn't confess for a whole forty-eight hours. Like she was leaving it to the last minute." Morgan added showing his own cards.

"I told you it was a she." Reid muttered.

"Yes Reid, you were right, as usual." Morgan smiled along with the rest of the team. Reid looked slightly offended.

"It's a shame that Rachel didn't come out and join us isn't it?" Rossi seemed to throwing the question out to everyone but everyone knew it was directed straight at Hotch.

"Yes, yes it was a shame. We could have used her help on this one." Hotch put down his cards and looked at the team, they continued to seem expectant.

"I'll call her when we get back, then we should be able to find her and bring her home." Hotch told them plainly. He and Prentiss shared a glance of worry which no one but Reid saw. If Hotch knew where his sister was then he would find her, and Reid would follow. He had to protect his sister to the end.


	16. Chapter 16: A Map

**Chapter 16**

It was midnight and the house was eerily silent with only the sound of winds howling outside. Throwing their force against the walls but never getting through. Alannah had taken little Rachael back to hers and now older Rachel crept through the house in search of Elle. She had awoken to find her bed empty and when she had checked Katie and Greg's room, their bed too was empty.

She carried on walking barefoot, trying to make as little noise as possible. She breathed through her mouth, the adrenaline pumping through her, knowing that at any point she could turn a corner and someone would be there. She kept herself loose, ready for an attack, ready to fight. She'd fought a lot before mostly when she'd been surprise attacked too. She trained hard and was therefore rewarded with certificates of fighting in different types of defensive fighting mechanisms. She kept her mind calm and alert.

She ran down the stairs swiftly, lost her footing at the bottom but managed to turn her fall into a graceful forward roll. She rose with her face to the door and spun, she hadn't quite done the acrobatics silently.

There was no one there. Suddenly Rachel was quite frightened; she was in this large house, alone. Where were the others?

She felt a draft come in from the back door through the kitchen; she shivered at the cold night air. Hugging the walls she made her way through the living room and toward the kitchen. She saw the glass sliding doors open and the curtains billowing out as the winds hit them.

A piece of paper fluttered off the floor towards her and she snatched it up. On it was a map. It wasn't a hard map, just to go all the way down the road, turn left, and carry on into the desert until she reached what she presumed to be an old warehouse type place.

Without even bearing a thought to get changed she rushed out the front, snatching the keys to her bike. She mounted it and turned it on, it roared to life. Suddenly she was flying down the road, the already ferocious winds whipping her hair out behind her and sometimes around her face. She skidded round the bend when it came and flew out towards the desert, her eyes scanning for a large building. After about ten minutes she saw it. She halted in front of it and got off the bike; she turned it off but left the keys in the ignition.

She began marching towards the warehouse, leaving the map scrumpled in the muddy sand.


	17. Chapter 17: The Key Part 2

**Chapter 17**

As she approached the sturdy doors her brain began to clear. She was walking towards someone or something that could potentially be dangerous, she was unarmed, and in her pyjamas. She tried to tell her feet to stop, to think about what was going to happen logically. But they kept on going. She went through the doors and immediately hated what she saw. In the middle of the room stood a man, he was quite old, about sixty maybe? He had his hands clasped down in front of him, his head tilted backwards and his eyes closed. He wore a smart suit but one you might wear in retirement.

Her eyes swept the scene from left to right. On the right side of the large open space, lay Elle. She seemed to be unconscious with her back to the man; her right hand was up by her ear. On the left of the warehouse were Katie and Greg, they were both awake, they had one hand each cuffed to a pole and were cuddled close together. Greg had a fresh black eye and Katie looked like she'd been crying a lot but she wasn't now. She looked confident, as Rachel looked at her, her eyes met hers. Her expression changed to be replaced by what Rachel saw as pleading. Then Katie broke eyes contact to glance across at the man stood in the middle of it all.

"Rachel Reid." He said, not moving but a smile danced across his lips.

"Who are you?" she asked taking a step closer, curios.

"My name is Cole, Andrew Cole." He said finally opening his eyes and looking at her. He smiled again. She took another step closer.

"Do you know why all these men have been kidnapping me?" she asked still edging closer and closer. He didn't answer for a few moments, when Rachel was a couple of meters away she stopped.

"For me." He said at last.

"Why do you want me? I'm not that important." She asked him, narrowing her eyes slightly for a second.

He laughed loudly, "Oh Rachel Reid you do make me laugh! You're the key."

"I think I've been told." She murmured so that her voice was barely audible.

"No Rachel, youve been told that you hold the key. Not the truth. The truth is you _are _the key. I've been sending out my 'friends' to try and capture you, to dispose of you."

"Yeah ok but why? What am I the key to? What do you need me for?" she was shouting, angry, exasperated at the man. He didn't answer. "Right I'm leaving and I'm taking my friends with me, goodbye Mr. Cole."

She took a step towards Katie and Greg and a man appeared from the shadows. Rachel didn't move anymore. The newcomer bent down to the pipe and unlocked Katie's handcuff. He yanked her ponytail and he dragged her closer to Rachel and the old man, she was kicking and crying, shouting out in pain. Greg was pulling on his one hand attached to the pipe, his other hand was desperately trying to break the handcuffs. His face bore a mix of worry and desperation. As Katie and the younger man stopped she tried to keep cool, she let her arms hang loosely by her sides and the man held her ponytail tighter, ensuring that she wouldn't escape. Rachel tensed herself, ready to fight for the second time this morning.

"What are you gonna do?" Rachel half smiled at both men, "I could take you both down fairly quickly."

The man who gripped Katie's ponytail grinned and produced a gun. He pressed it to her stomach. Not for her own safety, she could survive a bullet in the stomach, but for the fear for her unborn child, Katie's hands flew to her stomach and she cried out, desperately, hysterically.

"Oh my god please no! No, not my baby please no!" she cried, tears streaming from her eyes.

"No! Katie!" Greg roared, fierce tears pouring down his own cheeks, his wrist strained against the handcuffs even more. The metal cut into his skin making a moist red ring of blood around his wrist.

"No!" Rachel shouted. Katie closed her eyes but that didn't stop the constant flow of tears spilling down her cheek, her hands still gripped her stomach.

"No don't hurt them!" Rachel was a child psychologist for the BAU it was her job to protect the children, born or not.

"It's me you want dead isn't it?" the old man considered her for a moment before bowing his head.

"Just tell me what I'm the key too, then kill me and let these innocent people go."

"Dear Rachel Reid." The old man smiled and brought up his head, as he did he brought out a gun, he looked at it. "You're the key to the Behavioural Analyst Unit at the FBI." He smirked and brought up the gun.

Directed straight at her forehead.


	18. Chapter 18: Hotch

**Chapter 18**

_Hotch:_

_When Elle's number had come up on his phone Hotch expected the worst. The plane had landed and he'd immediately gone to his car to find his way back to office fairly quickly. When he did get back to office he tried Rachel's number numerous times. He knew she was in Vegas she had texted him. He knew he should have shared it with the team, or at least with Reid. But she wanted to prove herself, prove she could do this. But when he realised that he couldn't reach her he knew he had to go and find her. He never truly understood why he was so protective of her, he was her mentor and she was the youngest. He supposed that was the reason why. She always got on so well with Jack, when Hayley was alive she'd got on well with her, they'd been quite good friends. When Hotch thought of Hayley he felt sad, so he stopped. She was good friends with everyone on the team; she had been incredibly close with Elle. When Elle left she was quite broken, but she got on with her work. She was very good at her job for someone of her age. And someone with her past. She had the worst possible past anyone could ever have. Sometimes he would catch her 'reading' on the plane on the way back from a case. She would mould her face so it looked like she was intrigued with her book but he would watch her eyes. They were distant, never moving. Especially cases with children, Rachel had all the authorities of a social worker in jurisdiction and was an excellent child psychologist. The plane had just landed in vegas when Elle's number appeared on his screen, he answered. She was talking in whispers. She explained that she needed Garcia to track her phone and for Hotch to get there as fast as he could. He hung up on Elle and quickly called Garcia repeating everything Elle had told him. She tracked the number quickly and got him directions. Then he called Elle back, luckily she had her phone on silent, she lay pretending to be unconscious on the hard floor of the warehouse and as she pressed the speaker button she heard the large doors swing open. Her gun was still at Greg and Katie's. Hotch heard everything that happened over the phone as he drove as fast as he could towards where they were. He pulled up to the warehouse just after there had been a woman crying and he heard Rachel shouting. He heard an old man saying something before the phone went dead._


	19. Chapter 19: Good vs Evil

**Chapter 19**

Rachel closed her eyes, it was so cliché everything slowed the hysterical crying of Katie and Greg. Her breathing, even her heartbeat. She collected herself, in preparation for what was coming. A solitary tear dribbled down her cheek but no more would come. It was the last tear of a brave soldier, her insides smiled. That was something that her mother would say. She wasn't sad, she was strangely curios.

"Open your eyes." She heard the old man say, she obeyed. She felt so calm, it wasn't normal. She saw his finger begin to gently squeeze the trigger and all calm was displaced by a sudden fear.

She was going to die.

He continued to pull, just before he reached the ultimate point she felt hands on her arms. She was pulled down by a firm grip and suddenly she felt the floor below her and somebody next to her. She heard the gunshot and waited for the bullet to hit her head. Then she realised that she had her eyes closed, had strong arms around her and was shaking. All she could see was blackness; she'd closed her eyes and was gripping onto the lapel of a jacket, like a suit jacket. She felt the floor below her, and realised that she and her saviour were lying on the floor of the warehouse. She kept her eyes squeezed closed, forcing the tears back.

Then she felt a hard grip on her arm and she was wrenched up, she was swivelled around to face the person who saved her from the bullet. The old mans gun was pressed against her throat and she tried to claw at the arm that held her steady but it was no use. It held tight, her saviour stood and she saw Hotch. The gun pressed deeper against her throat.

"Shall I do it agent Hotchner? Just like Hayley, another person precious to you going in exactly the same way." Hotch looked the same as he usually did, unafraid, confident and angry as he removed his suit jacket, ready to fight for Rachel's life. Rachel knew that if Hotch came too close Cole would shoot her. Hotch knew that too, what was he doing?

She cleared her mind, relaxed her senses. Loosening her body she took a deep breath and momentarily closed her eyes. When she opened them again she saw Hotch looking at her. Making eye contact she allowed the left side of her mouth to twitch into a half smile, Hotch understood but carried on with the act of readying himself for a fight.

Rachel awaited her moment, and when it came she twisted and ducked, kicking out to the back of the old man's knee. He fell to the ground and Rachel landed in a crouch, she rose to her feet and watched as he amazed both her and Hotch. He may have seemed old but he was certainly athletic. He snatched a gun from a holster on his accomplice's ankle and rose up directing the gun at Rachel. His other gun was too far away from Rachel and Hotch for them to be able to reach it. He was angry now; he had been cheated of his kill twice.

Rachel glanced around, first at Greg. Still struggling against the handcuffs, a little pool of blood on the floor below his hand, a look of desperation still across his face. Katie, looking at her with sorrow, still clinging to her stomach around where the gun touched it. Elle, who still lay soundly. And Hotch, he looked uncertain as to what to do. The pair of them stood there defenceless against this old yet agile man. Rachel bit her lip.

"Now," Cole snarled, "key to the BAU, prepare to die. And as you die slowly and painfully, prepare to watch your friends and loved ones die around you!"

There was a gunshot and everyone jumped, Cole fell down to the ground and Rachel knelt beside him.

"How was I the key to the BAU?" she asked urgently. No response.

"Tell me!" she shouted,

"Agent Hotchner." The old madman laughed before he finally slumped, dead.

Rachel stood with a look of disgust spread across her face.

Hotch strode towards the man holding Katie and held out his hand. The man looked ashamed of himself as he handed over the gun, then he fished in his pockets and handed over the key to Greg's handcuffs.

Hotch gave the key to Katie who sprinted over to her husband to free him. With fumbling hands she unlocked him and they immediately hugged. They broke apart for a second and kissed passionately, then Greg cradled her in his arms, stroking her hair, he closed his eyes and kissed the top of her head, keeping his face resting there. She held onto him and they didn't show any sign's of moving anytime soon.

Hotch watched them as he arrested the accomplice. Elle 'came back to consciousnesses' and rushed over to help Hotch. She agreed to drop the man off at the police station, retrieve her belongings from Katie and Greg's then disappear off again. That's what she wanted, to go again.

Hotch turned back to Rachel.

_Rachel stood with a look of disgust spread across her face. _

She looked up to see who had saved them, and saw her brother. They simply looked at each other for a moment before Reid put his gun away. She took a step towards him and him towards her. They began to walk towards each other until they met in the middle. They stood just looking at each for a moment until they hugged. He liked how she still had to stand on tiptoes to hug him.

"Thank you." She whispered.

He held her out at arms length and laughed.

"I am always saving your butt." He said with a grin. Her jaw dropped in shock, she batted his hands away.

"Yeah right, It's usually me saving your butt!" she said challenging him.

"I bet I could win a fight against you."

Hotch walked over.

"How much?" he asked.

"Ok, twenty dollars."

"I don't want you to lose too much money so twenty it is." Hotch held out his hand to Reid who shook it energetically.

Rachel looked gleeful, "Right, come on outside now!"

"Ok then," Reid said happily. Hotch grinned.

"You have no idea what you just got yourself into."


End file.
